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Chapter XI: Unveiling secrets
Runes of Autumn: In the rain
Copyright © Larry Elmore.
Used with permission.
I fumbled over every pebble on the way back home - or what I thought was way back home. To carry Beauty in my arms meant to lift the arms and it gave me shooting pains in the ribs. I walked without knowing how, every stone with a sharp edge entering into my feet sole, where the thorns had already hurt me. But I didn't feel the pain anymore for I had other thoughts: first of all, I held my precious Beauty in my arms and it was worth all the pains and all the blood I had already lost.
After some time, I raised up my weary head and I had to confess I was totally lost. When looking for Beauty, I had followed the owl, not paying attention to the path I was using. And those trees were so high that it was impossible to see the sun or anything at all but branches and leaves. I felt a bit dizzy and it seemed to me that the trees were chuckling softly. I tried to walk faster, to avoid them and their laugh, but it was impossible. Like everything in my castle and its outbuildings, the forest was alive and I felt hungry eyes in my back when I stumbled heavily over a root. It was alive and it had chosen us for its next preys. I held Beauty more tightly against my chest, not bothering for the sharp pain bursting through my ribs. I'd save her, no matter what I'd suffer for that.
I stopped a moment, leaning carefully my back against a tree, for I was exhausted. I looked in the direction where we came from and I saw a large track of blood. If we were really the forest's next preys, the predators wouldn't find it hard to follow us. I took a deep breath and resumed my walking. If only the owl was there again, leading me to the castle as it had led me to Beauty! I heard a flap of wings and, raising up the head, I saw, almost shining in the diffuse light, the owl. A hope rose in my heart when the owl seemed to wait for me to follow it. This time, the owl wasn't flying as fast as it had before for it seemed to know how much I was tired and badly injured.
I was no more the fiery Beast burning with anger having left the castle but rather a pitiful creature who found it quite difficult to put a foot before the other and do it again and again. I was so tired of carrying Beauty, because it only hurt me more. Of course, it was sort of a kind pain, since it meant I was actually holding her in my arms, but what good did it to me since I was too weary to really realise it?
I lowered my eyes to Beauty's face. Her eyes were closed, her copper-red eyelashes casting a shadow on her pale cheeks. She was breathing calmly, but I was worried because of her pallor. And because she was still unconscious. She should have awakened by now. But still, I marvelled at her as she rested trustingly in my arms. Then I scolded myself: there was no trust here, there was only a Beast who had forgotten everything his parents had ever taught him to take advantage of a girl unable to defend herself.
Then I frowned: there were some red drops on her neck and hands. If my eyes were not playing tricks to me, the drops were blood drops. I remembered the blood drops I'd seen on the ground before attacking. But my eyes only saw the blood now... On her neck! I felt my heart twist and my throat tighten.
"Please, no! I beg of you, not my Beauty..." I pleaded silently.
I didn't want to see Beauty hurt; I knew she was not dead, for she was still breathing, but I hurried a bit, wincing as my ribs reminded me I was not rid of them.
As we entered a clearing, Beauty stirred in my arms and I stiffened at once. She opened her eyes with some difficulty, her eyelids fluttering a bit, and then, her gaze stopped on me. She certainly realised quickly where she was for a blush covered delicately her porcelain-like cheek with a pink colour.
"Err... I think... I'm well enough to walk by my own, now, my lord," she said hesitantly, quite uncomfortably.
Well, she actually didn't say it, but rather thought it, but she meant to say it. I knew she was uncomfortable because she was in my arms - I was sure she'd have felt perfectly happy in Jod's arms - but I soothed her.
"Hush, Beauty. You're wounded. As soon as we reach the castle, I'll treat you and everything will be alright."
"I don't recall being hurt," she whispered, surprised.
"I guess it's because of the shock," I said to comfort her.
She leaned trustingly her head on my shoulder and I felt my heart soaring above the tops of the trees. But a question tortured my mind and I had to know!
"Beauty, why were you all alone in this forest, so far from the castle and... so near of your mountains?"
Her head left my shoulder as her arms circled my neck to look at me straight in the eyes. I held my breath, revelling in the feeling of her slim arms against my collar's fur.
"I don't know," she admitted. "I didn't intend to go that far, you must believe me! As soon as I entered the forest, I heard the trees talk to me. At first, I thought I was going mad, but no, the breeze in the leaves was really pronouncing words. And theses words were very harsh for you... They said... they said you were only taking advantage of me, that all that tale about the fairy and the curse was a lie, that you had always been a Beast and that all my dreams were not coming from the fairy - who was in fact helping me - but from you, for you were very gifted in magic."
Her eyes were pleading as I nodded imperceptibly: Hell, this fairy was really good at this game of make-believe!
"I don't know why I believed them! I knew they were lying to me, even if they were able to explain everything from their point of view. I knew they were lying, because I've seen your eyes, and eyes so soulful, so human like yours can't lie as someone can lie with words."
I was quite stunned by this statement but rather enjoyed it. I tightened my hold on her and was rewarded by a slight smile of hers.
"So," she continued, "I believed them and I was suddenly afraid of going back to the castle. I only wanted to flee, but somehow, a part of me knew that I didn't want that, but that they did make me want that. But it was so strong that I couldn't fight it and I fled desperately, running in the deepest of the forest without knowing where I was going. Then I met the boars and it seemed to me they were looking for me. I fled again, but for another reason. I reached a tree and managed to climb in it somehow. And then here I waited for I-didn't-know-what, wondering how long I could hold this way. Suddenly you were there, my saviour again, and I saw you fighting these awful boars! How did you know where I was?"
"You were screaming, Beauty dear, and I heard your screams."
She looked baffled.
"But I was totally unable to utter a sound!"
"Mental screams, Beauty. I can hear you."
She suddenly seemed to realise something.
"The fight with the boars! You have been hurt! And badly! Oh! How can I be cruel enough to let you carry me when you have been hurt! Let me go, it must be a torture for you! Why didn't you tell it?"
Actually, the torture was to send her away from my arms but I had to do it. I didn't want to frighten her anymore. She uttered a small cry of distress as she saw my bloody ribs. I stopped her before she could reach me and swayed slightly by doing so. Now that I wasn't carrying her anymore, I had to recover my balance.
"Later, Beauty, dearest."
I bit my lower lip; I had to watch my tongue or I would confess my love without noticing until too late. She looked at me as I stumbled painfully. She came near me and offered me silently her shoulder. I shook the head: I knew only too perfectly how she hated to be touched and I still didn't explain me how she could have stayed so long in my arms. She looked hurt that I rejected her, so I said gently:
"I don't want to be a burden for you, little one. I know you certainly don't crave for the touch of a Beast's paw."
Once again, I bit my lower lip; what had crossed my mind to say such a thing? I'd have beaten myself! I heard very clearly a thought that I knew instantly she wouldn't have had me hearing it:
"I'd rather have a Beast's paw on my shoulder than the hand of a handsome stranger, for I know my Beast is true and loyal."
It sent shivers down my spine. She had said 'my Beast'. God! Was that curse about to end at last?
I didn't really know how we managed to reach the castle. I knew we had followed the owl as far as the edge of the forest and then I guessed I had stumbled over every irregularity of the ground. At the end, I was breathing heavily and I kept my paw clenched on my wound. Sometimes, I had to cling to Beauty's shoulder so I would not fall. I saw Beauty wince each time, for I was quite heavy. As soon as we entered the castle, I noticed that Beauty was playing with the corridors' topology. I didn't look back for I was sure to see large drops of blood on the marble so carefully cleaned by Stoat.
I fell heavily on a chair and grimaced because of the protest of my ribs.
"First of all, Beauty, we'll care about you," I said firmly.
I took the wet cloth she already had in hand and gently swept away the blood on her neck and hands. Most of the blood was coming from her hands, probably injured when she tried to climb the tree.
"I'm not hurt, my lord," she said without moving. "I was just shocked. You need care, I don't."
She took the cloth back and knelt beside me, cleaning carefully my ribs. I clenched my teeth so I'd not growl of pain.
"Take off your shirt," she ordered me.
I looked at her in wild disbelief and she reddened.
"I need to see the wound!" she explained. "And it could heal badly if there's a piece of cloth inside."
So I obeyed despite my embarrassment of being half-naked before her. She looked carefully at the wound and then, rushed into the gardens to find some medicinal herbs.
"The balm you once gave me won't be enough. We'll have to use something of my own."
I looked suspiciously at the green mixture she was preparing, mixed with some brown.
"You intend to put that on my wound?" I protested.
She turned to me and had a mischievous smirk.
"Oh yes! But if you don't want, I can find something worse," she offered.
"You Puck!" I growled as she knelt beside me, her bowl in her hand.
"His other name is Goodfellow. Aren't I just?" she answered.
I bit my tongue so I didn't say what I had in mind. No need to scare the child.
"The skin is so torn that I can't sew you," she said matter-of-factly.
"Bless the Gods," I grinned. "I don't feel at all like an old rug."
She grinned back as she bandaged my painful ribs covered with her green-brown mixture. Then, she noticed that there was still blood falling on the floor and she found the deep wound in my left shoulder. Suddenly, her hands became clumsy as I heard her blurt silently:
"Ribs and shoulder... Not again, not again!"
Her hands were trembling so much she spilled water on the floor when she cleaned my wound and a new fear was possessing her, making her spread the green mixture everywhere except on my wound.
"Beauty, child, stop that at once," I ordered her. "You're so shocked you're not doing any good."
I had a glimpse of her face and I understood I was wrong: she wasn't shocked of what just happened. Her fear of contact was back.
My good mood disappeared at once. Beauty stood before me, head lowered, looking like a naughty child caught in the act. I sighed.
"Go into your room, Beauty. I don't need you anymore."
My words were harsh, but I couldn't help it. I loved Beauty but seeing her fearing me was too much to bear. I didn't know what wounded shoulders and ribs reminded her of, but I knew it was somehow connected with her fears and something told me it wasn't the right moment to ask her.
She raised up the head.
"But... your shoulder..." she protested mildly.
"It will heal," I answered.
I stood up from my chair and left the room. I knew it was the surest way to see Beauty leave me - even if I didn't want her to leave me. I went straight to my bed and lay down on it. I was lucky enough that everything hurt was on the left side, so I could lie on the right side, not suffering too much.
I knew Beauty was still there, for I hadn't heard the door, but I was almost sure she wouldn't force the door of my room to treat me. But then, my Beauty was a stubborn one. Once she had set her mind on something, there was no way to force her to change. I heard her knock on my door.
"My lord?" she said questioningly from behind the door.
I tried my best to snore, but it didn't work.
"I know you're not sleeping. Please, I have to see your shoulder. You... you could die if it's not treated well."
"God, Beauty, I've been injured more than once and I'm not dead. And you know how rose's scratches can be dangerous."
"But it's worse than a simple scratch," she persisted.
Sighing, I stood up painfully and went to the door, which I opened. As soon as she saw me, Beauty felt all her boldness disappear. She suddenly realised she was forcing the door of a man's bedroom and that this man - Beast - was naked to the waist. She reddened, paled, opened the mouth, closed it without having said a word.
"I... I mean..." she blurted.
I sighed again.
"It's alright, Beauty. You see, it wouldn't be proper for you to treat me now, so just forget it. I guess Sevulf will come soon now, so he will take care of my shoulder."
"No!" she protested. "I began, I have to finish. Sevulf wouldn't know how to treat you."
"I guess he can put your awful mixture on my shoulder as well as you," I grinned.
I showed her the door of the cocoon room and grimaced. My right paw was holding the door and I had forgotten my left shoulder. This confession of pain gave her courage.
"You need my help! And who could say it's not proper for me to sew an old rug?" she said, throwing her smile to the bandages around my ribs.
"What the Hell had the Gods in mind when they created you?" I muttered under my breath, moving aside to let her enter.
"They wanted me to stitch an old rug so that he could catch tetanus with rose's scratches," she answered, trying to hide her fears behind ironic words.
I turned towards her so quickly that she started.
"You're not here to spend your time treating me, Beauty!" I snapped.
She stepped back, surprised by my outburst. Then matching my bad temper by her own, she retorted:
"Why am I here, then? You're not able to care for yourself, how could I look at myself in a mirror after that if I let you die because I listened to you when I knew you needed my help?"
"I don't need your help!" I barked at her. "I don't need anything, except peace, here and now! I'm tired, I want to sleep, if only this damned fairy let me do. That's all I need. So, go to your room as the good girl you are and let me alone."
"I'm not a good girl," she answered, "and you already know it. So just sit down and let me do! The quickest you will do what I tell you, the quickest you will go to sleep."
I knew she was right, but I knew too that she was fighting her fear back with all her strength.
"Oh well!" I sighed. "You won't say I didn't warn you!"
I sat on the edge of my bed as Beauty treated my shoulder, spreading her mixture on it, bandaging it and then immobilising it so I couldn't move the left arm anymore.
"Wonderful," I muttered. "Beauty, fetch Stoat or Sevulf, please."
"What for?" she asked, looking at her feet with a suspicious attention.
"So that she could give me a new shirt. I won't stay half-naked during all the time my shoulder will need to heal."
"Where are your shirts?"
I looked at the ceiling, as if I was calling on it as a witness of Beauty's stubbornness.
"Oh, stop that!" she said, disgusted. "I'm not the innocent girl you think I am. You're not the first man I've seen half-naked and not half of them were as embarrassed as you are now, quite the contrary in fact! I've treated lots of them, Jod and other friends as well, and none of them ever protested because I wanted to finish what I began."
"Jod is like your brother," I answered, "and not a frightening monster who happens to be your lord."
"I think of Jod as my brother, but that's not how he saw himself. Do you think I didn't know it? He sees me as his future wife, he does! Don't you think he should be ashamed if he were you?"
True, my Beauty was not as innocent as I thought she was, but it didn't change anything. I sighed.
"Beauty, if I were a man like all the others you already healed, perhaps I would be like them, happy to see you doing what you do, but I'm not a man. I'm a furry Beast, your lord, and do you think I'm happy to show you my greatest shame?"
"I've already told you I don't think of you as a Beast, but as a man trapped in the shape which is not his. So, where are your shirts?"
"If there was a God of Stubbornness, I'm sure you would be his great priestess! Look in the wardrobe behind you. Right door, second shelf."
Stoat was someone who didn't like untidiness and she taught me the same, so my wardrobe and other things were always arranged in the same way, each object at its place. Beauty took a white shirt, unbuttoned it and came to me. I felt like the condemned man seeing his executioner coming.
"Give me your left arm," she said.
I could hardly move it but it was enough for Beauty to slip it in the sleeve and then, it was relatively easy for me to put the right arm in the second sleeve. She leaned over me to button the tiny buttons - I remembered I had needed something like five years of constant training to be able to do it by myself at a reasonable speed.
Her lovely head was at one inch of mine, with her russet-red hair loosened. As she felt my breath on her cheek, she started violently, bit her lips and tried to do as if nothing had happened. I frowned, annoyed by this reaction of hers. God! I was despising myself, hating all I could see of myself, how could she ever love me, how could she ever dare to hold out her hand to me when she was already afraid of my breath on her cheek? But I couldn't do anything else, I had to breathe!
Unhappy, I turned the head, so she wouldn't feel my breath anymore. She caught my move from the corner of her eyes.
"My lord? Am I hurting you?" she asked, concerned.
"No, Beauty. It is I who am hurting you. Maybe... maybe it would be better for you to go out from this room."
She gave me a sidelong glance and probably saw the sadness in my eyes, since I didn't bother to hide it.
"I am hurting you," she maintained. "Except that it's not your ribs or your shoulder I'm hurting, but your soul and heart. What did I do, my lord?"
I turned my gaze away, more injured than I could say. I stood up, finishing to button the last buttons with both hands, not caring for the pain in my shoulder and I lay on my bed, on my right side, turning my back on her. I felt like a child abandoned from everyone and I almost wanted to weep - except that I didn't remember how.
"My lord?" asked Beauty with a small voice. "What did I do wrong?"
Her voice sounded so hurt and so puzzled that I rolled on my back, biting my lips in the process, since my wounded shoulder rested against the pillows.
"You did nothing wrong, child. I guess I'm the one to blame. After all," I said bitterly, "why would you trust a wild beast who is your gaoler for some time now? Just feeling my breath on your cheek makes you shiver from fear! Why can't you stand for me to touch you or even simply, why can't you just touch me? I've never harmed anyone, except four boars today, because they were threatening you, and if I frightened you at the very beginning, I've tried so hard to make you forgive me! Why can't you just forgive me? I've seen you sheltering in Geolf's arms, why do you find me so repulsive? Why? God! I would give my life to make you happy and you wouldn't care! I thought you were only too shy, because I am your lord, but no! The truth is that I fill you with disgust! So why continue to pretend? You're trying to be nice to me because you feel you're indebted with me for what I did for you. Well, guess what, I don't want your pity nor your gratitude!"
Exhausted, I rolled back on my right side and closed the eyes. I opened them quickly when I heard Beauty's answer said of a choked voice:
"You're wrong, my lord. I'm not afraid of touching you, I'm afraid of touching anybody or to be touched. There's nothing to do with you. Yes, I feel indebted with you, but I'm not nice to you for this reason! I'm nice to you because I have no reason not to be! I don't pity you, and I will never, for you're not pitiful. You're someone tough, who knows what he wants and you build your life in that way. I would be silly to pity you. But, yes, I'm grateful to you, so grateful that I would gladly give you my life if you asked me for it. That's something I wouldn't do for Jod, if you want to know everything! Now, are you happy?"
Again, I rolled on my back and took a look at her. She looked like a child ready to weep, but she was holding back her tears, like the proud girl she was. So beautiful, so strong by some sides, but so fragile by others! God! How could I only pretend to her love? I was so unworthy of her! I swore to me I would let her go as soon as she wanted it, even if it meant that she would take my heart with her.
Seeing her like that, so hurt, looking dejected, I felt ashamed of my behaviour and regretted my words. I watched her carefully. Since she forced my door, she hadn't had the courage to meet my eyes. At the end, I couldn't stand it anymore. Forgetting my own pains, I tried to concentrate on hers.
"Beauty, child, tell me what's wrong. Why can't you stand for someone to touch you?"
She jerked away, her eyes filled with an abject terror.
"I... you...," she babbled. "I mean... it's nothing important," she finished lamely.
"You don't lie very well, you know, child?"
She looked guiltily at me.
"I don't like to lie," she admitted. "But, please, don't ask more! I... I can't tell you."
I seized her wrist and stroked gently her skin with my thumb, feeling her tremble.
"Beauty, child, I will never harm you. You said once you trusted me. Don't you trust me anymore? I care for you, Beauty. Aren't I your friend?"
Deep inside, I thought:
"Aren't I someone who loves you? I would die rather than harm you. I would give you my whole kingdom if only it could bring joy in your eyes, I would bring the moon to your feet for a tender gesture of yours."
But Beauty remained stubborn, head lowered, not daring to look at me. Then I had a sudden guess, a sudden and awful guess.
"Beauty, child... Don't tell me, please... had someone done to you what you said a rich man did to one of your friends?"
"Please, please," I begged silently, "tell me I'm wrong, tell me I just had an awful idea..."
Her cheeks went red like peonies and she answered nothing. Then, suddenly, she burst into tears and she cried:
"Please! Don't ask, I'm so ashamed!"
She fell on her knees, snatching her wrist from my grasp, and buried her head in her hands, her trembling shoulders being the only indication she was weeping bitterly.
"Oh no! Tell me it's not true! Tell me I heard anything, but that!" I pleaded silently.
"Did... did he... take you, child?" I forced myself to ask.
She shook her head.
"No," she said of a choked voice. "I fled before he had the time."
I thanked all the gods whose name I knew.
"Beauty? I won't harm you, I swear it, but please, tell me... It could help you to speak of it..."
She had a bitter laugh.
"Yes... as well as the time will help... Nothing helps! But since you want to know, you will know..."
She lowered her head and her hair came to hide her face. She began with a low voice:
"I was working for this man since I was thirteen. I was cooking and cleaning his house, attending the animals and other things like that. During three years, it was a happy life. I earned enough money for Jod and me to live quite easily and, even if I wasn't well educated, I had won a little consideration from the others. But then came the time I was sixteen. In the same time, my friend had just had her problems: she was fired, with a child, and nobody wanted her to work for them. So Jod and I tried to help her, but the child was due to die..."
She closed her eyes, as if the memory was too painful. Hell, she was only sixteen when she had seen the baby die!
"My master chose this moment to notice that I was no more a child but almost a... woman. At the beginning, it was like a game; he said jokes and I reddened when he laughed at my embarrassment. But soon, he wanted more... he wanted something I wasn't ready to give, something I didn't want to give... nor to be taken by force. Tired of this game, that wasn't one for me, he threatened me with a knife. He put the naked blade on my throat and swore to me he would kill me if I only uttered a cry. I was not as terrified as he thought I was: Jod's best friend was... is a forestry worker. He used to take me in the forest sometimes to teach me the names of the trees and the plants. He taught me too some things to defend myself. I applied them this time... I never did it again."
She took a deep breath and raised up the head with a determined look on her face.
"The knife changed hands. I struck... Blood flew. Sickened, I dropped the knife and he caught it. He hit me viciously and, while I was on the ground, he leaned on me. I knew instantly that the strike in his shoulder had only angered him but his desire was still here. He put again the knife on my throat, more firmly and, again, blood flew."
She raised more her chin up and I saw something I never saw before: on her throat, there was a white thin scar, quite long.
"God, child..." I breathed.
"I struggled and the more I struggled, the more the blade was cutting my throat," continued Beauty. "I hit him where I hurt him, several times, with my fists clenched and he shouted out of pain. I hit him until he fell on the ground and I tried to flee. Then he stabbed me in the ribs, missing my belly of one inch. My hands on my wound, I managed to leave his house. On the way back home, I met Jerry, the forestry worker, who happened to have his day off. Without asking silly questions, he took me back home, where he treated me. Meanwhile, the shouts of the man had drawn the attention and there were already people treating him. Not only had he scared me, but he added slander to his infamy: he told his friends that I had tried to blackmail him, saying that I was carrying a child that I said to be his, when it couldn't be! That we had had a discussion and that I tried to stabbed him in anger and despair. He had to strike me to get free. And as I didn't go to see a doctor for my wounds, the village believed him."
"Why didn't you go?" I asked softly.
"We had run out of money," she said simply. "Daisy's child was ill and he needed a lot of medicines. I had no more salary, nor Daisy and Jod's was scarcely enough to make us live. Sure, Jerry helped us, but he had a family and he couldn't give us a lot. Three days after, Daisy's baby died. Nobody cared for Daisy's sorrow: all the town was concerned by the man. His wound was more serious than he had first thought; it became infected. I could have saved him, because I knew about the medicinal herbs, but nobody dared to ask me to come, even if I was already known as the green witch. And I couldn't bring myself to go to his house and to treat him. Because of my cowardice, he died."
She closed her eyes briefly, as if she hoped that all these painful memories would fade away this way. She ended hastily:
"As soon as I was able to walk, I disguised myself as a boy and ran to the men's village. There, I worked with Jod, staying with him all the time. They all took me for a boy, except perhaps Jerry who probably saw through my disguise. I stayed as little as possible in the women's village. I couldn't bear the accusing glances they sent me. I preferred the whip."
She looked at me, as if she was defying me.
"That's my story. Now, how do you feel about me? Happy to have a murderer treating you? Are you still concerned for me?"
"God, child, did you think I would blame you for this? Did you think I would have dismissed you? Beauty, give me your hand, please. Willingly, trusting me. I swear it to you, I will never ever harm you."
"I... I know," she answered softly.
"Beauty, I had been deprived of human contact for now almost two hundred years. Sure, I still have Stoat, Sevulf and the others, who dare to touch me, but I don't remember how it is to feel a human contact, like my mother's. Would you... help me?"
"No need to add that I want to feel the slight touch of your fingers on my cheek, as I already felt them on my hands some times ago, as I dreamt I felt them around my neck" I thought, pleading silently with my eyes. "I love you, Beauty, I love you so much... if only you could love me too..."
Beauty stood up, her eyes full of questions, and made the first step toward me.
"You want me to touch you?" she asked, incredulous. "After what I told you? Now that you know that these hands held a knife, trying to kill, now that you know that these hands remained inactive when they could have given life, you want me to touch you?"
My only answer was to hold out my hand toward her in a silent supplication. She gazed at me, still incredulous, then, timidly, she put her hand in mine. I closed my fingers on hers, savouring the soft contact. With my thumb, I stroked the back of her hand. Her gaze still hadn't left me. In a moment of boldness, she put her hand against my cheek. I almost gasped when I felt her fingers.
Until now, I had never thought that I was deprived of human contact, I had never sought it. Even when I was still human, I was too wild to like for people to touch me. In fact, all the human contacts I had during my youth were reduced to the light kiss on my mother's cheek each evening. But now, with Beauty near me, with my love growing in me each day, I wanted to hold her in my arms, I wanted to wrap my arm around her shoulders as I saw Geolf do once with her.
I put my free hand on hers, revelling in the softness of her skin that I was able to feel even with my huge paws covered with fur. But I knew that this wonder couldn't last long. In Beauty's gaze, though she tried to hide it, I saw a glimpse of fear; I freed her hands and half-closed my eyes. She took a step back, dropping her arms by her sides. I felt I had to say something before she fled, terrified by the memories I had revived.
"Thank you, Beauty," I breathed. "Thank you so much..."
"You should be resting now, my lord," she said, taking me off guard by this sudden change of subject.
I hadn't even noticed that I wasn't laying back anymore against my pillows, but I was sitting on my bed. She put her hands on my shoulders, taking care not to hurt me more, and forced me to lie again. Her undone hair stroked my cheeks during this and I surprised myself half-closing the eyes to feel them better. Then she took my hand and pressed it against her cheek before placing a light kiss in the palm and fleeing through the door remained open. I curled up my fingers, as to keep the kiss in my hand, and closed the eyes, hoping to find sleep.
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Text © Azrael 2000.
Runes of Autumn: In the rain. Copyright © Larry Elmore. Used with permission.
Set Hour Time, from Moyra/Mystic PC.
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